Alaric Begins the Interrogation

"No, sir," replied Fred. "Although I fear that I may be under some enchantment. I am a loyal subject of His Majesty the Great King, and wish to serve him as well as I may."

"Then why did you attack the crowd?"

"That was part of the enchantment. I was fighting a dragon, and lost." Fred decided that the details of the short 'battle' would not do credit to his fighting prowess. "I was badly burned, but for some reason, I did not die, although I am now blind. There are many things that I am still trying to understand."

"What part of Allaria are you from? Who is your lord?"

Fred paused for a second. The Duchy of Suffex did not exist five hundered years ago - it was a thinly populated wilderness. "I originally came from the south. I have since wandered far and wide, performing pilgrimages and fighting against the infidel."

Alaric thought that Fred was more likely a robber or a beggar, but he did not challenge Fred's statement. He turned to Irena, and asked, "What relation do you have to this man?"

"I am his servant," she replied. She supressed her pride in making that statement. Servant was much more plausible than warrior. To claim that she was a warrior would make these strangers wary. Irena had learned that there was a time to boast and a time to be meek. "I was also enchanted by the dragon."

Alaric looked at both of them incredulously. "Understand that I am not a simple villager. Please do not insult me with the stories of the dragon. Please tell me why you are here, and what your intentions are."

1. Father Benedict injects a question.

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